Most Uniquely Popular Job in Each State

We know the most common jobs in each state — truckers, cashiers, sales managers, etc. — which really tells us more about the jobs than the states. For a more state-centric view, we turn to the jobs that are the most specific to each place.

ALASKA

MAINE

Farm, Fish,

& Forestry

Farm, Fish,

and Forestry

This is the industry, also represented by color.

Fishing &

Hunting Workers

Fishing & Hunting

Workers

This is the occupation.

WISCONSIN

VERMONT

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Production

Healthcare

Practitioners

Production

Print binding &

finishing workers

Recreational

Therapists

Extruding

Machine Operators

WASHINGTON

IDAHO

MONTANA

NORTH DAKOTA

MINNESOTA

ILLINOIS

MICHIGAN

NEW YORK

MASS.

Life, Phys., &

Social Science

Architecture &

Engineering

Life, Phys., &

Social Science

Life, Phys., &

Social Science

Production

Computers &

Mathematics

Production

Personal Care

& Service

Life, Phys., &

Social Science

Conservation

Scientists

& Foresters

Conservation

Scientists

& Foresters

Agricultural &

Food Scientists

Forging Machine

Operators

Baggage Porters

& Concierges

Medical &

Life Scientists

Aerospace

Engineers

Print Binding &

Finishing

Workers

Actuaries

OREGON

NEVADA

WYOMING

SOUTH DAKOTA

IOWA

INDIANA

OHIO

PENNSYLVANIA

NEW JERSEY

CONNECTICUT

RHODE ISLAND

Farm, Fish,

& Forestry

Administrative

Support

Extraction

Architecture &

Engineering

Production

Production

Production

Architecture &

Engineering

Architecture &

Engineering

Management

Protective

Services

Gaming Cage

Workers

Mining Machine

Operators

Farm & Other

Agricultural

Managers

Rolling Machine

Operators

Rolling Machine

Operators

Forest &

Conservation

Workers

Biomedical &

Agricultural

Engineers

Metal Furnace

Operators

Crossing Guards

Marine Engineers

& Naval

Architects

Marine Engineers

& Naval

Architects

UTAH

CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

NEBRASKA

MISSOURI

KENTUCKY

WEST VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA

MARYLAND

DELAWARE

Arts &

Entertainment

Finance

Architecture &

Engineering

Management

Production

Extraction

Extraction

Architecture &

Engineering

Life, Phys., &

Social Science

Finance

Shoe and Leather

Workers

Actors

Tax Examiners

Petroleum &

Mining Engineers

Farm & Other

Agricultural

Managers

Mining Machine

Operators

Mining Machine

Operators

Marine Engineers

& Naval

Architects

Economists

Credit Analysts

ARIZONA

NEW MEXICO

KANSAS

ARKANSAS

TENNESSEE

NORTH CAROLINA

SOUTH CAROLINA

D.C.

Way to play up the stereotype, California.

Construction

Production

Production

Production

Production

Production

Production

Life, Phys., &

Social Science

Aircraft

Structure

Assemblers

Packaging

Machine Oper.

Extruding &

Compacting

Machine Oper.

Textile Machine

Operators

Textile Machine

Operators

Plasterers &

Stucco Masons

Precious Stone &

Metal Workers

Economists

OKLAHOMA

LOUISIANA

MISSISSIPPI

ALABAMA

GEORGIA

Production

Transport &

Material Moving

Administrative

Support

Production

Production

Boat Captains

& Operators

Gaming Cage

Workers

Textile Machine

Operators

Textile Machine

Operators

Tire Builders

HAWAII

TEXAS

FLORIDA

Military

Architecture &

Engineering

Transport &

Material Moving

Boat Captains

& Operators

Military,

Rank Unspecified

Petroleum &

Mining Engineers

I used occupation data from the 2016 5-year American Community Survey. To estimate uniqueness, I used the location quotient for each job and state. It’s a relatively straightforward calculate that takes the rate of a job in the state divided by the rate of the job nationally. Above shows the job with the highest ratio in each state.